Pocket match-safe.



J. A. BURR. POCKET MATCH SAFE. APPLIOATION FILED JUNE 29. 1907.

Patented Mar. 1, 1910.

HWENTOI? 6am,

A TTOHNEYS UNITED STATES PATENT @FFTFFZ JOHN A. BURR, 0F FEEDING HILLS, MAS$AGHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR 0F ONE-HALF T0 FRANK A. CHAJVIPLIN, OF EAST LONG- MEADOW, MASSACHUSETTS.

POCKET MATCH-SAFE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 1, 1919,

Application filed June 29, 1907. Serial No. 381,405.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN A. BURR, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Feeding Hills, in the county of Hampden and State of Massachusetts, have invented a new and useful Pocket Match-Safe, of which the following is a specification.

' My invention relates to improvements in devices adapted to deliver matches one at a time and designed to be carried in the pocket, and comprises a suitable case of special construction and a certain peculiar extractor operatively connected with said case, all as hereinafter set forth.

The object of my invention is to provide a simple, convenient, and, withal, novel match-box or -safe of the class specified, which is strong, durable, and comparatively inexpensive. I attain this object by the means illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a side elevation of my matchsafe; Fig. 2, a view of the delivery end of said match-safe; Fig. 3, a longitudinal, vertical section through the same, a single match being shown; Fig. 4, a transverse vertical section on lines 4-4, looking in the direction of the arrow, in Fig. 3, a plurality of matches appearing in this view, and, Fig. 5, a similar sectional view to Fig. 3 except that the extractor is here shown in its ex trcme forward or outward position with the match protruding ready to be removed. en tirely from the case, said extractor in Figs. 1 and 3 being in its most inward or what may be called its normal position.

Similar figures refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

Although exterior-1y the case of my matchsafe as illustrated is made to assume more or less closely the appearance of a book, for the sake of novelty, this particular shape is not necessary and may be departed from.

The device consists of a case 6 provided with a cover 7 which may be hinged to said case, and of an extractor 8. The bottom of the case 6 on the inside isconstructed to form a groove 9 which is only large enough for a single match 10. In the bottom of this groove 9 is a slot 11 extending from the back end of the case forward for a distance equal to one-fourth, more or less, of the length of said case. On the underside of the case is a plurality of guides 12 for the extractor 8, there being three such guides in the present instance, but this number may vary, and, so far as the practicability of the invention is concerned there might be only one long guide, the present arrangementbeing simply for the purpose of carrying outthe book effect. A discharge opening 13 is formed in the front or delivery end of the case 6, the base of such opening being on a level with the bottom of the groove 9. The opening 13 is of sufficient size for a match to pass through easily.

The extractor 8 is a wire or rod slidingly mounted beneath the case 6 in the guides 12, which latter have passages therethrough parallel with the longitudinal center of said case to receive such rod, having an upwardlyextending part or finger 14 at its rear terminal, and provided with a knob 15 at its front end. The finger 14 projects into the groove 9 through the slot 11 and thus the longitudinal movement of the extractor is limited and the same is prevented from rotating or turning. Said finger should not extend above a match in the groove, and preferably falls short of the top of such match, as shown, so that it can engage but one match at a time. The knob 15 projects below the rod to afford convenient means for manipulating the extractor, and it also projects upward in front of the opening 13 a suflicient distance to efiectually close the same against the passage of a match when said extractor occupies its normal position, that is, when the extractor is at the end of its rearward travel.

The matches 10 are introduced into the case 6, preferably with their heads to the front, when the cover 7 is open, and they are removed one by one from said case as required through the opening 13 by means of the extractor 8, the operation being as follows: When the matches are inserted in the case one of them drops into the groove 9 in front of the finger 14, it being understood, of course, that the extractor 8 is always left in normal position so as to close with its knob 15 the opening 13 against the passage of the match in the groove and to be in readiness to remove such match. When it is desired to obtain a match from the case grasp the knob 15 and draw the same forward or outward away from the opening 13 as far as the finger 14 will permit, or until such finger encounters the front end of the slot 11, thereby actuating the match in the groove forward until its head protrudes through said opening as shown in the last view. The partially exposed match is next grasped by the protruding end and the match is withdrawn bodily from the case, after which the extractor is pushed back as far as it will go, the finger 14 passing under the remaining match or matches in the case and behind the next match which graV-itates into the groove, and said extractor is thus left in position ready to act upon the second match in the same manner as upon the first.

The foregoing operation may be repeated as often as is desired until the last match has been removed.

While it is not necessary that the knob 15 shall be of sufficient size to entirely cover the opening 13, said knob should be large enough to obviate any possibility of a match escaping from the case when the knob is pushed back over said opening, and the extractor rod should have somewhat of a tight fit in its bearings so as not to slide too freely, attention being paid to such details of construction which will render the device perfectly safe for pocket use.

What I. claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

A pocket match safe comprising a rectangularly shaped box substantially as shown, having a cover or lid at one edge adapted to be removed for the insertion of matches and having a recess in the opposite edge for the reception-of a single match, 1

having its inner end portion projecting through said slit to engage a match and having a finger-piece 15 on its outer end shaped to extend over and close the match outlet opening, the extractor rod being of a length to extend from the bottom inner end of the box to the top outer end, whereby when the extractor is closed the slit is closed by the extractor rod and the outlet opening is closed by the part 15, substantially as shown.

JOHN A. BURR.

lVitnesses ALLEN \VEBSTER, F. A. CUTTER. 

